Let Them Eat Cake
by therubyone
Summary: This two-parter tells what hopefully might have happened after the events depicted in the great Season 4-Drake and Josh episode THE WEDDING. Humor, fluff, family relationships, family wedding, rated T for Teen for implied and mild boy slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**_** Drake and Josh**_ – love it but don't own it; just for fun, no copyright infringement or bad vibes intended!

**Rating:** T for Teen, mild and implied slash (not graphic), humor and fluff

**Author:** therubyone

**Summary:** What _might_ have happened that night, following the on-screen events of the beautiful Season 4 episode _The Wedding._

LET THEM EAT CAKE – Part One: Up in Flames

In resignation and defeat, Drake and Josh turned and walked away from the disaster of the burning El Camino, trudging off in the direction of the nearest gas station, which was a very long 14 miles away. They kept up a brisk pace, propelled by the night chill in the air, each wrapped up in his own worried thoughts.

After twenty minutes Josh began to fall behind and finally called out to Drake, "Wait up, dude. My foot's killing me. I've got to rest a minute."

Spotting a corroding metal barrel lying on its side, just a few feet from the shoulder of the road, Josh sat down on it, weary and hurting. Josh loosened his shoelace, wiggled his foot and carefully touched the bruised area, while Drake fidgeted in place, rubbing his hands and blowing on them.

Drake complained "I don't even want to think what else this night holds in store for us. Our parents are going to kill us. Aunt Katherine's going to kill us. Everyone at the wedding is going to kill us."

Josh reminded Drake, "Don't forget Trevor!"

Drake thought and replied, "Nah, Trevor won't be that upset. He knows that car was an old piece of junk. The only reason he kept it was for sentimental reasons."

"How romantic of him," replied Josh, who thought Trevor was not only an idiot but also a bad influence on Drake.

Drake stepped onto the road and stuck out his thumb. "We can't keep on walking like this. It will take us all night. These dress shoes aren't made for marching. I'm getting blisters. And you got a rock dropped on your foot. At the rate we're going, by the time we get to the church, assuming we don't get lost, everyone could be gone."

Josh protested. "You know what Mom and Dad said. No hitchhiking – ever. What if more bad people stop? We're lucky those jerks back there only took our money . . ."

"Josh! You're the one who always believes in people's goodness," countered Drake. "There's got to be some kind soul who lives around here and travels these roads who will take pity on us. It's only a little after nine o'clock. A car _has _to come along."

As these words left Drake's mouth, two headlights came into view, just like in a children's story when the fairy godmother appears to save the day. The vehicle was approaching them from the opposite side of the road. It was a large, white, latest-model, extended-cab pickup. It slowed down, crossed over to them, and came to a stop. The boys looked astonished - and nervous.

The window slid down and a vaguely familiar female voice inquired, "You boys need a ride?"

Drake and Josh traded cautious but hopeful looks, as Josh hurriedly stuffed his swelling foot back into his shoe.

"Josh? Drake?" the female driver continued. She turned to the passenger beside her, saying "Look, Rena, here are my nephews! Can you believe it?"

Turning back to the boys, the surprised woman asked them, "What in the world are you two doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Josh stood up and with an equal sense of disbelief asked "Aunt Barbara? Is that _you_?"

"In the flesh!" she laughed. "My God, you both look like you got lost on the way to the prom!" gasped Barbara.

Josh stiffly limped over to Drake and leaned on him for a moment. Then both boys rushed up to the open window of the truck and excitedly spilled out the story of the evening's events, in a rush of words and gestures.

As they spoke, Josh studied his aunt's face. She was older than his father. He guessed she was what they called in books "a handsome woman." Or, more accurately, she could be described as another version of Walter, that is, if he was wearing dangly earrings, a gray-streaked wig and a cowboy hat.

Josh's aunt told the boys "Well, we're kind of lost, too. We've been at a cook-out, at our favorite tattoo artist's new place. We don't know this area, so we Map-trekked the directions and this is where we ended up in the dark."

"I can't believe it," replied Josh. "This is the first good thing that's happened to us all night. We were using the same directions, from Map-trek. Not that reliable."

Drake added, "We had to travel the back roads and go slow. We were hauling this humungous wedding cake."

Josh continued, "Which, as we told you, got destroyed, by accident."

Barbara shook her head and commiserated. "Sounds like you boys are in quite a pickle. Why don't you hop in and we'll put our heads together to try and fix this situation." She turned and reached back to open the door from the inside for them. "You guys sure manage to get yourselves into some '_**situations**_.'"

Without further comment, the grateful boys climbed into the little back seat of the shiny _Golderado_.

"How do you like my new truck?" asked Aunt Barb, as she made sure they were settled in.

"It's bigger than your old pick-up," Josh noted, relieved not to have to sit in the open air.

"We're happy you have extra room for us," replied Drake, who was especially glad to escape the night air.

Rena, Aunt Barb's constant companion, popped her chewing gum and flashed a friendly smile. She was dark-haired, petite, a little bit Goth, a lot tattooed, and not very talkative. She saw that Drake was shivering and handed him a fleece throw, which she pulled out from a storage compartment in the door.

Beckoning to his stepbrother, Drake chided, "Josh, you don't even have a coat. Come sit by me and get warm." Both boys shifted themselves towards the middle of the seat. They signed with relief as Drake covered them both with the little blanket.

Barbara pulled back onto the road and turned the truck around, once she was satisfied that the boys were comfortable.

Drake spoke up, "Do you think there are any stores around here that might be open?"

"Ones that might have some _**cake**_?" said Josh, completing the question.

"Usually where there's a gas station there's some kind of town. Let's have a look-see."

Ten minutes later they rolled into a gas station with a small convenience store. Glancing in the rearview mirror, Barbara thought how adorable the boys looked, dressed in their finest, wrapped in a blanket, and conversing quietly together. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought they were two little lovebirds. They looked so adorable; they could adorn the top of a cake themselves!

"Stay put, boys. We'll be right back," Aunt Barb told them, as she and Rena got out.

Drake said to Josh, "I never knew your Aunt Barb was such a take-charge person!"

"Oh, yeah. She doesn't generally go around crushing cell phones. Man, we are SO lucky she happened along."

Squeezing Josh's arm under the blanket, Drake said, "Josh, I'm really sorry I screwed things up for everyone."

Josh patted Drake's knee. "Drake, I'm the one who's sorry - that I was _ragging_ on you so hard all night. Giving that laptop case to Craig and Eric . . . it was a mistake anyone could make. A miscommunication. There was no way you could have known my keys and phone were in the case. You _could_ have checked, but there was a lot going on and I don't blame you now. I just feel bad we let everybody down."

Drake slipped off his shoes and brought his legs up under himself to warm his sore, frozen feet. "I know you do. So do I," Drake consoled Josh in return. "And I never should have threatened you with telling about Mr. Puff-Puff. That wasn't fair."

"It seems kind of funny to me now, the way you were sticking it to that tow truck driver about his name," admitted Josh, with a smile.

"I couldn't help myself," Drake sulked. "I was still mad from when those thieves knocked us down. Leslie was just the last straw."

"I knew that guy was pushing your buttons!"

"That crack he made wasn't appropriate. And then he breaks the car window without even warning us!" Drake sputtered.

"I know," Josh soothed. "But sometimes you have to bite your tongue. He could have rescued us."

"You're right. But I was under duress . . . that is a word, yes?"

"Good use of vocabulary! And besides, you would have made a beautiful bride . . . _or groom_!" Josh teased.

"Don't worry, I'll tell Mom and Dad what happened with the cake." Drake cuddled into Josh's side for warmth and comfort.

"We'll both tell them. We're in this together, bro," replied Josh, obliging Drake's search for heat, by wrapping his arm around Drake's shoulders.

Aunt Barbara, little Rena, and the store clerk emerged from the shop, each carrying a stack of large cardboard trays containing assorted packaged snack cakes.

"Do you think 50 will be enough?" asked Barbara. "That's everything this gentleman had on hand."

The boys had no idea, but fervently _hoped_ it would be enough. The cardboard cases were secured in the back with a bungee cord and they were quickly back on their way.

"I hope you great aunt won't mind two gatecrashers who aren't exactly dressed for a fancy wedding," chuckled Aunt Barbara.

Drake snorted. "Well, she's so forgetful, she might not even notice you. And WE definitely need the moral support!"

Aunt Barb chuckled at that. Even her laugh sounded a lot like Walter's. She also had his quick temper, which was usually more bluster than bite. Barb had felt bad about destroying Josh's cell phone at his surprise birthday party. It was just that she'd never been punched in the jaw before! Later, Rena had, in her quiet way, suggested to Barb that her reaction was somewhat out-of-line, and Barb had wanted to make it up to Josh ever since. Here was her chance!

"I got the directions to the church: First Presbyterian on Shady Grove Road," Aunt Barb confirmed. "So it's on. Now you boys let me do the talking. I know how to handle Walter."

The boys nodded, feeling their lagging spirits begin to rise, now that someone was on their side. Drake started to feel so relaxed that he dozed off, his head resting against Josh's shoulder.

At last reaching their intended destination, Josh told Aunt Barbara to pull around to the back of the little white church. They were supposed to deliver the cake through the kitchen entrance.

Josh squeezed Drake's shoulders and whispered gently in his ear, "Hey! Wake up! We're here. Time to get ready for the wrath of Aunt Katherine." The adrenaline started surging through Drake's system at that and he was instantly alert, quickly pulling on his shoes.

The four of them carried the cardboard trays of packaged desserts inside. The church volunteers had long been expecting them. Everyone in the kitchen busied themselves, removing the plastic packaging from the cakes. There were Ha-Ha's, Doodle Cakes, Little Suzies, Snowpucks, Twinkles, Dutch Rolls and more. Each one was placed on a small white china plate that had been lined with a dainty paper doily. The plates were then promptly loaded onto serving trays and stacked into slots on a rolling cart, and rolled out into the main assembly room.

Aunt Barbara started nudging her reluctant nephews forward, gently pushing them towards the swinging doors. "Time to face the music, fellas!"

CONTINUED IN PART TWO


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **_**Drake and Josh**_ – love but totally do NOT own; just for fun, no profit sought, no copyright infringement or bad vibes intended!

**Rating:** T for Teen, mild and implied slash (not graphic), humor and fluff

**Author:** therubyone

**Summary:** What _might_ have happened that night, following the on-screen events of the beautiful Season 4 episode _The Wedding._

LET THEM EAT CAKE – Part Two: Closets We Have Known

Drake and Josh stepped out of the kitchen and into the ballroom, clinging to each other's arms, Aunt Barb pushing at their back. They surveyed the room around them, blinking and panting slightly as if they'd just come up for air after a deep sea dive. The church hall had been decorated in ivory and dove gray. There were some 50 relatives and friends of the couple in attendance, the age of the average guest on the other side of fifty.

Aunt Katherine, confused and cranky, looked at the assortment of cakes on their little plates, as the servers placed them on the buffet line. Her voice carried clearly across the room, "This doesn't look like the picture in the brochure."

The hum of small talk and random noises abruptly ceased, as dead silence erupted and all eyes turned towards Drake and Josh. But the only eyes the boys worried about were those belonging to Audrey and Walter. The boys scanned the crowd, anxiously seeking their parents, and very much avoiding eye contact with Aunt Katherine. Drake suddenly felt hot, like his mother's gaze was burning holes in him.

Fearlessly, Aunt Barbara stepped up between the boys, taking each one by the hand, and led the cowering pair right up to Aunt Katherine. Josh studied the floor, seeking a crack to melt into, waiting for a scathing rebuke. Drake gulped and pulled at his necktie, which suddenly seemed so tight. In a calm, friendly tone, Barbara introduced herself, dropping the boys' hands, but putting her own hands on their shoulders, lest they should decide to take flight. "I'm Walter's sister, Barbara. We met at Audrey's and Walter's wedding a while back. Let me offer my congratulations to you and your groom on your nuptials."

"Thank you," answered Aunt Katherine, proudly, leaning with one hand on a cane that had been specially decorated with ivory ribbons, baby's breath and antique lace. She acknowledged Drake and Josh with an almost imperceptible smile and nod. After a moment's pause, Katherine swept her free hand into a gracious gesture towards the banqueting table, where the desserts had been set out. "Would you like a piece of cake?"

"Yes. I'd love one!" Barb enthused.

The crowd let out a collective sigh, as conversations resumed and the wedding guests began lining up at the buffet tables. If Aunt Katherine or her groom remembered that they hadn't cut or fed each other the first piece of a traditional wedding cake, neither one seemed bothered by it. They were served their own plates at the table of honor, where they sat down and ate, as they exchanged adoring looks at one another.

"You're late, boobs!" hissed Megan, coming up behind the boys. Josh and Drake noticed that their mother was trying to disengage herself from the elderly person to whom she was listening. She kept turning her head to glare at them. But it was Walter who got to them first. He hustled them upstairs into the now empty sanctuary, leaving Megan to hang with her cousins. Megan didn't mind, as she was extremely interested in getting to know her smexy 15-year-old cousin Nathan a _whole_ lot better.

"Start talking," said Walter, scowling alternately at Drake then Josh.

Again the boys recounted their tale of woe. Walter threw up his hands, and then crossed his arms across his chest. He searched the room. Upon finding what he was looking for, he walked down the main aisle, briskly pulling Josh along by the wrist. Drake, as if attached by an invisible chain, followed behind, his shoulders hunched in dread. Walter opened a door and pointed. "Both of you in here. This instant!" he ordered, fumbling for the overhead light. The boys went into a walk-in closet and storage room located behind the altar, underneath the chancel.

"I've got to tell your mother what's happened. Stay put." Walter shut the door and left them there.

With grim humor, Drake told Josh, "Well, there's nobody else I'd rather share a closet with!"

"We could write a book," Josh concurred, miserably, "_**Closets We Have Known**_."

They examined the space in which they were confined. There were hanging vestments, two stacks of dusty hymnals, a coat rack, a small chest of drawers, a silver communion salver, a baptismal font, but no chairs. Everything seemed ancient. The boys sat down on the carpeted floor and removed their shoes, rubbing their aching feet.

Pointing to an ornate iron grate, Josh said, "Look! There's an air vent in the floor. You can see right through to the room below."

"Mom told me this church is like over one hundred years old. That's probably why Aunt Katherine picked it. It's OLD, the same as she is! The building was moved here from somewhere else. The hall downstairs is all modern construction and twice as large." Drake scooted over to peer down the grate alongside Josh. "I wonder if we can see what's going on."

"How long do you think Dad will keep us in here? We're missing the rest of the party," moaned Josh.

"I can't see anything but what's directly below. This grate must be at the edge of the room. But listen! They're starting to play music," Drake told Josh, while turning his head this way and that to see if he could get a better view.

"I hear it. Maybe it's the bride and groom's first dance?" Josh wondered.

"I'm glad I'm not out there, then. You know I don't dance," replied Drake, grimacing.

"We could practice in here. Nobody would see." Josh stood up and extended a hand to pull Drake to his feet. Grinning, he added "But _**I**_ get to be the boyfriend!" Josh wanted to lead.

Drake accepted Josh's hand and stood facing Josh, bargaining, "Take turns?"

'Kay," agreed Josh. Formally, he bowed, and said, "Drake Parker, may I have this dance?"

Drake lifted his hand up into Josh's waiting hand and felt Josh's other hand slide around so that his palm was in the middle of Drake's back. Drake put his own other hand on Josh's shoulder. Josh had let his Grammy send him for lessons when he was in elementary school. Always the good student, Josh had dutifully practiced, shyly enjoying the physical contact with his female partners, even if they HAD to dance with him during the instruction. Drake was certainly graceful enough to be a good dancer, but up until now it wasn't a skill he found much use for, so it was only fair that Josh take the lead until Drake got the hang of it.

They danced slowly, with closed eyes, in their stocking feet, turning in tight circles around the limited space, giving themselves up to the music.

Josh said, "You know, I never even told you how nice you look tonight. You're what they would call – in Megan's magazines – a _teen dream_."

Smiling, almost blushing, Drake giggled, and replied, eyes still closed, "You look purdy, too, Joshie, even minus the jacket."

Drake's face turned up at the very moment Josh's head bent down and their lips met tenderly in a perfect, soft kiss. And for a moment, as they continued their slow dancing, and leisurely kissing, their troubles were all forgotten.

Their sweet reverie was interrupted by the sound of voices. People were talking - in hushed tones! - right below the floor vent. Motioning for silence, Josh broke away and knelt down, so he could hear better, with Drake quickly crouching beside him.

The voices belonged to their dad and Aunt Barbara!

They heard a grumpy Walter saying, "Why didn't they just call us from home as soon as they knew there was a problem? We could have made other arrangements to get them _and _the cake over here."

Aunt Barbara reasoned, "You gave them the responsibility and they were doing their best to keep up their part of the bargain."

"And look how _that_ turned out!" replied Walter, somewhat sourly. Then he added, "You know I'm grateful, Barbie Doll, that you came along and found the boys. I started worrying about them as soon as Josh's phone kept going to voice mail. We had no way to contact them. _Drake_ goes through phones like they're toilet paper!"

"Walter, you know what I've been through this past year. With the cancer scare, the chemo and all. It's made me think about what's important in life. This is a family celebration, a celebration _of _family. What do you want your sons' memories of this occasion to be? That you kept them in a closet? That they failed miserably and you were disappointed in them?"

Walter didn't like trouble, especially arguments with the opposite sex. "What do you want me to do?" he whined.

Aunt Barbara coaxed her baby brother, "Let them out! Let them join the party! A wedding should be a happy time for everyone. Let them eat cake!"

"I don't know," demurred Walter. "Audrey's furious. She's got this long-standing rivalry going with her older sister Libby."

"Oh. The beach house. The boys told me. What's more important to her? The self-esteem of her sons or a vacation getaway?"

"Of course she loves the boys! But if Libby wins out on this beach house thing, there'll never be any peace in the family," explained Walter.

"Do you want me to have a word? Audi and I have always gotten along."

"No. I can manage to talk to my own wife, thank you very much."

Barbara didn't believe it for one minute. But to save his face, she knew she had to let Walter attempt to get the last word in with Audrey.

The boys touched each other's arms but waited until Walter and his sister had walked away before they started talking about what they'd overheard.

"I never knew Aunt Barbara had cancer!" Josh exclaimed.

"They never tell us anything important. I always thought Mom was on solid ground with Aunt Libby," Drake mused.

There was another interruption: two more people talking, down below. _These_ voices sounded higher, younger.

"I got it, Megs! Here's an empty bottle for the game."

"Good work, Nathan. Let's round up the others and find a quiet spot."

"Yeah, we've got to do something for fun at this freak show!"

"I haven't been to too many weddings, but this is the first one where the bride and the groom _dozed off_ during their vows," laughed Megan, in her sarcastic way.

"I hate that part of the service, anyway, and it just made it drag on all the longer," added Nathan.

"And how about that soloist? She forgot the words and had to start all over again!" Megan chortled evilly.

"No wonder there's a line a mile long at the cash bar." Nathan concluded, "I'll find us somewhere we can hide, if you'll gather the others together for some Spin the Bottle."

Drake frowned when he realized what his little sister was planning.

But Josh rumbled with delight. "She is _**so**_ gonna get busted! This will take some of the heat off _us_, bro!"

Chewing his lip, Drake commented, "I guess the Parker genes weren't limited to the male line."

Josh poked Drake. "Lighten up, dude. It's just a little Spin the Bottle."

Sure of his facts, Drake responded hotly, "Well, that leads to 7 Minutes in Heaven. A lot can happen, Josh, in seven minutes. A LOT."

The door opened. It was Rena. "You're sprung, boys! Your aunt is negotiating the terms with your mother right now. Put your shoes on and come out."

Rena led the boys down a different stairway to the reception on the lower floor. The boys saw Walter in the line for the bar. Aunt Barbara informed them, "You're going to have to repay Aunt Katherine for the wedding cake. You can work out your own arrangement with Trevor, pending whatever insurance claim he can make. Your mom also wants you both to pay _Fancy Formals_ for damages to Josh's rental. Finally, she expects you both to apologize in person and in writing to Aunt Katherine and her new husband."

The boys nodded in agreement. Josh responded, "We can handle all that."

Aunt Barbara wrapped up, "The dinner's already been served, speeches made, toasts proposed. Now all that remains is the dancing, the drinks and the desserts. The whole thing will be over by 11pm." The lights were way down low, a silver disco ball turning above the crowd, with a DJ in the corner spinning wedding reception favorites.

Released to their own recognizance, Josh and Drake snagged several of the dessert plates. Learning that their punishment was not as bad as they'd feared, the boys' appetites returned and they found themselves famished after all the excitement of the night's events. Locating an empty table in the darkest corner, far away from the wedding party dais, the boys compared their snacks and decided to share, feeding each other from the assortment of cakes. It was better than nothing.

"Do you think Aunt Barbara or Rena would get us some drinks from the bar?" Drake wondered aloud, but not _too_ loudly.

"No. If Uncle Jimmy was here, he would, but that's _Dad's_ side of the family. Really, Drake, we'd better not get into any more trouble tonight." Josh tried to be responsible.

"Listen, Josh, after what we've been through, we need something to take the edge off. Relax!" Drake answered.

Josh turned Drake around by the shoulders. "Hey! Wasn't that Megan who just sneaked up that back stairwell?"

"I don't know, but I saw Cousin Nathan, for sure," answered Drake. "Let's keep that item on file." He turned to the most important topic at hand and said, "I bet Uncle Larry – that's Aunt Libby's husband – would hook us up with some alcohol."

Josh wanted to tell Drake not to, it could only add fuel to the fire between their Mom and her sister if anyone found out. But he was too tired. And too relieved that things hadn't gone worse, much worse. So he decided to do just what Drake suggested: he'd relax. He watched Drake zigzagging his way through the crowd, like a dragonfly, careful to avoid anyone whom he thought might yell at him.

Josh was sitting there contentedly nibbling cake, drinking iced tea and staying off his sore foot, when Audrey appeared at his side, causing him to startle and break a dish.

"Take it easy, Josh. I didn't come over here to berate you," Audrey told him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "As you know, your Aunt Barbara is an incredible person. We were talking and she helped me get past my stress over this wedding and the whole beach house thing. So I came over here to see if you would dance with me. Since you and Drake got here so late, this is the only chance I have to show off my two handsome sons." She continued to pat Josh lightly on the back. "Your dad and I were very concerned when you didn't arrive, you know." Audrey was smiling and she didn't seem so mad after all.

Josh willingly offered his arm to his stepmother and escorted her onto the dance floor. He loved to dance and he wasn't about to let a bruise on his foot stop him. Halfway through the second song, Josh felt a tap at his shoulder. It was Drake cutting in.

Drake excitedly whispered in Josh's ear that he'd left a few shots of peach schnapps at their table.

As Josh was handing Audrey off to Drake, Audrey reminded Josh, "Now be sure you give me that receipt for the cake. I don't want Libby meddling—"

"I may have left it upstairs. In the minister's changing room." Josh lied. He knew positively that receipt had been in the suit coat that got mangled by the ancient Chevy's engine. Being around Drake all these years, Josh had to admit, was having an impact on him, for better or worse. He didn't like telling fibs, but he could now recognize a situation where a lie was not only useful but necessary.

Josh sat down again and watched the people moving around the dance floor. He heard Audrey say, as she and Drake swirled by, "You're getting better. You haven't stepped on me once!"

Josh sipped the schnapps. It tasted fiery and fruity at the same time. He felt a lovely tingling rush flooding his insides, as he finished off the first shot. So this was what people liked about weddings!

Two-and-a-half songs later, Drake returned to the table and downed his first shot in a gulp. "That should chase the cold away," he remarked, with satisfaction.

Feeling slightly giddy, the boys chatted happily together, with their ties loosened and their feet up on the extra chairs, as they observed the various guests.

The volunteers emerged from the kitchen and started clearing away plates and glasses onto rolling carts. The bartender announced last call. The DJ played the clichéd "Last Dance." The event was clearly winding down. The boys clinked their remaining two shots together and toasted, "To the bride and groom?! To the beach house – we earned it!" They carefully finished their drinks, Josh using his tongue to make sure he had gotten every drop.

Aunt Barbara and Rena appeared. "Well, time to go. Your dad's looking for Megan. Your mom went to find that receipt. You boys will be coming home with us tonight. We can run you back to your house tomorrow. Walter doesn't have enough room for you all in the Mustang."

Just then Drake and Josh heard Audrey's loud but muffled voice shouting "MEGAN PARKER!" Noting that the sound was coming from the ceiling, they comprehended that they'd been sitting nearly below the vent from the closet above. Josh had surmised correctly where Nathan and Megan had gone. The boys triumphantly knuckle-touched under the table! They wished they could hear what their mother – and father - would say to Megan on the long ride home. They would have to enjoy it in their imaginations.

As Josh and Drake followed Barbara and Rena out to the truck, Rena said, "I hope you don't mind, guys, but you'll be sharing a bed."

Smiling sideways at Drake, Josh emphasized "We don't mind!"

Drake, returning the look and casually tugging at Josh's sleeve, politely assured his hostesses, "Not at all."

THE END


End file.
